Sport shorts for February

HUNTERSVILLE – East Gaston, Hopewell and West Mecklenburg high schools’ basketball teams are in the final stretch before the playoffs.

Here’s a quick progress report for the Warriors’, Titans’ and Hawks’ boys and girls teams.

East Gaston boys basketball

Record (as of Jan. 31): 10-8 overall, 4-4 MEGA-7 3A/4A Conference

The Warriors have been an up-and-down team this season. They started off with a bang, winning their first three games by an average of 19 points, but the hot streak didn’t last long. A stretch of four losses in five December games put the Warriors’ postseason hopes in jeopardy.

DeSean Murray helped East Gaston get back on track in January, however. His 21.6 points per game ignited the Warriors to win five of six and jump into third in MEGA-7 3A/4A standings.

The best news for East Gaston? Its top two scorers, Murray and Elijah Gore, are both juniors. No matter how far the Warriors go in postseason play – provided they don’t struggle in their last five games – they’ll have a solid core for next season.

The Warriors finish the regular season at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 at West Mecklenburg.

East Gaston girls basketball

Record (as of Jan. 31): 5-13 overall, 2-6 MEGA-7 3A/4A Conference

The new year hasn’t been kind to East Gaston’s girls’ team. The Warriors posted a 1-5 record in January, and offense was hard to come by. East Gaston entered February having not eclipsed the 60-point mark since last December.

The low point was a 49-37 loss on Jan. 29 to four-win Olympic High.

There have been some bright spots in the Warriors’ rough start to 2013.

Senior forward Carly Kluttz continues to be a solid offensive contributor. Her 10 points and 8.7 rebounds per game pace the Warriors.

East Gaston wraps up its regular season at 6 p.m. on Feb. 14 at West Mecklenburg.

Hopewell boys basketball

Record (as of Jan. 31): 4-14 overall, 1-8 I-MECK 4A Conference

Six-foot-four guard C.J. Bryce, a sophomore, anchors the Titans on both ends of the floor.

He’s averaging a team-best 17.9 points per game on offense, but Bryce’s contributions to the hard-luck Titans don’t stop there.

He’s also leading Hopewell in assists (28), and is second in rebounds with a 5.3-per-game average.

Bryce’s success hasn’t translated to the record books. The Titans enter February in last place in I-MECK 4A play, but they snapped a nine-game skid on Jan. 22 with a 61-58 win over North Mecklenburg.

Hopewell finishes its season at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 at North Mecklenburg.

Hopewell girls basketball

Record (as of Jan. 31): 8-10 overall, 4-5 I-MECK 4A Conference

You could call the Titans’ 2012-13 results thus far a tale of two seasons: They started out hot, winning their first three games, but faltered and lost seven of their next eight.

Hopewell’s chances of a postseason bid will depend on how well the Titans finish up the regular season.

They righted the ship with a 59-52 upset win on Jan. 28 over rival Hough High, who, at 7-2, ranks second in league standings.